KFP : Master Panda
by VctrBnsn
Summary: Po, now an old master, must use what he has learned over the years to teach a new group of young heroes what it takes to be the next generations Furious Five.
1. Chapter 1

"Po, it's time" Tigress urged as she entered his quarters.

"I know" he replied as he exited his room. "How can I forget?" He wore a large hat woven out of grain, similar to the one worn by his old friend Crane. He also wore a green silk robe, matching the color of his good friend Viper's skin. And in his hand, held the staff owned by his master, Shifu, which was owned before than by the grandfather of kung fu, Master Oogway. After he retired, and not long after his passing, Shifu handed Po the staff as a symbol of his newfound status of Master over the Jade Palace. It felt like an eternity ago. Sometimes, Po laughed at himself. Holding the staff, he realized he had become just like Shifu, old and curmudgeonly. But in his old age, he mirrored Oogway in many ways as well. Years ago, he would have never thought this would be his destiny.

Before him stood Tigress, his dear wife of many years. As the years past, her once vibrant orange coat has faded to a duller brown. But despite Father Time, her kung fu skills have remained impeccable. She's perhaps the strongest she has ever been, which amazes Po every day. While Tigress continues to present herself as sturdy, Po prefers to take the Oogway approach. Now an old man, it would seem he hasn't an athletic bone in his body. But his kung fu is stronger than ever. And that's exactly the façade he's going for. Many a thug had underestimated Oogway's tenacity, even in his elderly years. Now, Po can say the same thing.

"Look at yourself, old man" Tigress teased. "Did you ever think you would turn into Oogway?"

"Heck, I never thought I would turn into Shifu, much less Oogway. I never thought people would be looking to me for guidance, seeking out my wisdom."

"Yeah, it's pretty hard to believe."

'And now, I get to witness the founding of the new Furious Five. Years ago, it was just a dream that I would be among the ranks. Now look at me."

"You've come a long way from that noodle eating slob I met in that arena."

"Well, you've come a long way from that personality deprived tree stump I met in that arena."

Po and Tigress walked into the Hall of Warriors, a memorial for the many masters who have worked in the palace in years passed. Po looked upon the many paintings of himself, Shifu, and the Furious Five. Next to them was the painting of Master Oogway, the same one that graced the hall when Po first visited. And next to it, was the memorial statue of Master Mantis, who had recently passed of old age.

"I miss him" Po said as he gazed on the statue.

"I do to" Tigress responded. She didn't want to say it, but she was surprised he lasted that long. Mantises don't have long life spans, and his training was probably what kept him alive and fit into his last days.

"What are you old timers doing" said a familiar voice from behind.

Po and Tigress looked and saw a few familiar faces. It was their old friends Masters Monkey, Crane, and Viper.

"Great, you've made it!" Po said excitedly.

"What, do you think we'd miss this?" replied Monkey.

"Where's Peng?" asked Tigress.

"You mean Master Leopard?" said Peng as he jumped in front of her from out of nowhere, making intimidating poses.

"Dramatic entrance" pondered Po. "I like it."

"Learned from the best" Peng responded. Peng, relative of the villainous Tai Lung, had a difficult relationship with Po for a lot of his life. But as he grew up and realized that Po's actions toward his uncle were justified, he eventually grew out of his contempt. After several years of formal training at the Jade Palace, he eventually became an exemplary master, severing in the Valley of Peace and beyond.

"It's good to see the old gang" said Po.

"Shifu would be proud" Crane said.

"So would Mantis" said Monkey.

"And Oogway" said Viper.

"So, are they ready?" asked Tigress.

"They are just outside" answered Peng. "In the training hall."

"Let's go then" Po announced. "No need to keep them waiting."

The group walked into the outside arena of the training hall. Po remembered all the great, painful, and embarrassing times he had in this place. But mostly great. In front of him stood five students, all chosen by hand from a member of the old Furious Five. These weren't their replacements, these were their successors. The new Furious Five.

"Students" Po began. "The team you know as the Furious Five was first started by the great Master Oogway, as a way to protect this valley from outside evil. Now, with your help, we wish to continue this tradition, and make sure this beautiful land remains protected, and that it will have heroes people can look up to for generations to come. My colleagues seem to be impressed by your skill, but now it's time to impress me. Which you'll probably do easily, since you've made it this far. Please introduce yourselves."

When Po finished, the five students walked closer to him, preparing to present themselves to the old master. After a moment, they began to speak.

"I am Lioness, picked and trained by the great Master Tigress."

"I am Wolf, picked and trained by the great Master Leopard."

"I am Eagle, picked and trained by the great Master Crane."

"I am Tanuki, picked and trained by the great Master Viper."

"And I am Rat, picked by the late Master Mantis, and trained further by the great Master Monkey."


	2. Chapter 2

Po looked upon the group, noticing their posture and positions. Lioness stood still as a statue, not letting any outside influence get her to move out of formation. Tanuki and Eagle had a similar stance, looking as professional as a seasoned master. Wolf and Rat however, looked nervous. Their bodies shook, and beads of sweat rand down their fur. A disconcerted look washed over their face, as appose to Lioness and Tanuki, who stood emotionless. Eagle even seemed confident.

"Now, follow me into the training hall" Po commanded. The five walked with him and the other masters into the hall, eager to see what awaited them. What they saw was the most intricate obstacle course they had ever seen.

"This is the exact same course I took when I first started training here" began Po. "It was a doosy. But out of respect of my old Master Shifu, I kept it the same, even though I technically have the power to change it. Everything you'll be doing today is exactly what I began with too. First, you'll walk through the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors. First time I tried that I walked out with a much higher voice. Then you'll navigate through the Seven Talon Rings. After that, you'll fight your way into the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom, following your navigation through the Field of Fiery Death. Then, so you can rest for a little while, you'll face off with Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion!"

"Who named these things?" asked Peng. "A psycho?"

"Well Master Shifu made this course, so yeah."

"Begin, NOW!" ordered Tigress.

The five immediately immersed themselves into the obstacles. Each took on a different challenge. Lioness tackled the Wooden Warriors, Eagle fought in the Jade Tortoise, Wolf went for the Seven Talon Rings, Tanuki navigate the Field of Fiery Death, and Rat squared off with the Seven Swinging Clubs. And each challenge they took down with the greatest of ease. After they defeated one challenge, they would head off into another, until every obstacle was taken care of. Once they finished, they lined up towards the Masters, awaiting their approval.

"That was very impressive" Peng approved.

"Thank you Master Leopard" they said in unison.

Po and Tigress, on the other hand, didn't look as impressed.

"Master Panda, Master Tigress, is something wrong?" asked Wolf.

At that, Lioness nudged his shoulder, giving him a cold look. "Only speak when spoken to" she warned sternly.

"No, it's OK" Po intervened. "You did excellent in facing those obstacles, but you didn't do what I asked."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" asked Monkey. The rest of the Masters were just as confused as the students.

"We wanted you to face those obstacles_ together_, as a team" Tigress answered.

"If you continue to work as separate units, you'll never be able to fight together in an actual battle" added Po. "Now, I want you to face those obstacles again, but this time, as a team."

The five ran back into the course, but things didn't go as well as the first time. When they weren't bumping into each other, they were trying to figure out problems on their own again. At several points, it seemed the obstacles were winning, putting in more blows than the students were. It reminded Po of his first time here.

"Stop" Po ordered. "Come here."

The five exited the arena, covered in scratches and bruises from the fight. They were short on breath and exhausted, a far cry from their previous attempt.

"Well, looks like we need to work on some team building exercise" Po said as he assessed their condition. "That is enough training for today. We begin again tomorrow at the break of dawn with some new exercises. Until then, you may rest in the student barracks."

"Thank you master Panda" the group said in unison, and at that, they left.

"So, how do you think it went?" Po asked Tigress.

"Well, they have a lot of potential. All in all, I think it was a good first day."

"Do you think we were a bit hard on them" asked Viper, concerned.

"Nah, I think that was exactly what they needed" replied Crane.

"Maybe you should talk to them one on one" suggested Peng. "Not as a teacher, but more as a friend."

"That may be a great idea!" Monkey said enthusiastically. "It could help them calm their nerves."

"Well, what do you think, Tigress?" Po asked.

"You're the Master, Po. It's your decision. If you decide yes, I will join you."

"As will I" added Peng.

Po thought about it, and thought it would be a good idea. He knew that if Shifu and the Five did that with him when he first started, it would have made things a bit easier. Heck, it was Oogway doing this exact same thing that gave him the boost of confidence he needed.

"Alright, let's go talk with them. Monkey, Crane, Viper, do you mind staying behind, though. I want them to talk with them later, but right now all of us in their rooms might seem a bit overwhelming."

"It's alright, we understand" answered Monkey.

"We'll talk with them tomorrow" said Viper.

As Crane, Viper, and Monkey left the training hall; Po, Tigress, and Peng started walking towards the barracks. It was late evening, and the students have long since settled in. Walking up the stairs, Po remembered the first time he went up these steps, and the Furious Five was insulting him behind his back. That was a hard time for him. He didn't want these students to go through the same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

As they entered the building, they noticed everyone was already in their rooms. But nobody was asleep yet.

"Alright, I'll go talk to Lioness" Tigress said.

"I'll talk with Wolf" said Peng.

"And I'll talk with Rat" said Po.

The three then diverged into the different rooms. Tigress entered Lioness' quarters. Lioness was still practicing her moves, not even noticing Tigress' presence. She was focused and unmoving, just like Tigress at that age.

"Ahem"

"Master Tigress! I apologize. I didn't see you-"

"It's alright."

"Did you need something from me?"

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to talk."

"About my performance today?"

"It doesn't have to be."

"I'm sorry for any disruption in form I may have shown. Those idiots completely threw me off. They have so much more to learn if they expect to make it here."

"It wasn't completely their fault. Yes, they made mistakes here and there, but you have a lot to learn too. When I was a cub, the hardest thing for me to learn was discipline. But when I mastered discipline, I had to learn not to let it control my life. That's something that Po taught me. At first, I didn't think that panda would teach me anything. But that's the beauty of working with a team. You teach each other. Your skills and weaknesses need to complement each other, not hinder. Do you understand?"

"I'm not sure."

"That's alright. I was just like you when I was your age. And even though there's still much to do, I know that you have the makings to be the finest warrior in all of China."

"How do you know?"

"I already said! Because you're just like me!"

"May I come in?" Peng asked as he knocked on Wolf's door.

"Certainly, Master Leopard" he responded without hesitation. He eagerly welcomed Peng into his room.

'Before you say anything, I just want to say it's such an honor that you chose me to come to the Jade Palace. I can't believe I actually met Master Panda, the Dragon Warrior! Is it true that he knew Oogway, the inventor of kung fu?!"

"Yes, he did"

"Did you ever meet Oogway?"

"Well, no. I first found myself in the valley after his passing."

"Oh, well, that's too bad."

"Wolf, are you OK? Something seems off."

"What? Of course I'm fine. Why would you think something is wrong?"

"You seemed nervous presenting yourself in front of everyone. You've never seemed like that training with me. Did the stress of showing your skills to Po and Tigress get to you?"

"No, that's not it. I was excited to fight in front of the Dragon Warrior and the Five, but I began thinking right before we began. Why exactly am I doing this? I think it's just because my parents want me to. They always thought I needed to be more assertive, use my strength more. In wolf culture strength is very important. I always had it though, I just never flaunted it. Many wolves use their strength in less than honorable ways."

"Well, at least here you will use it in the most honorable way possible."

"But I don't want to fight. I mean, sure, learning moves and techniques one on one with you is easy. But fighting actual criminals? Life or death situations. What if I can't handle it? And if I can, I don't want to become a bully, like so many other wolves do."

"Yes, many creatures with power do tend to use it for personal gain. But here, you can use that power to help people, and better yourself. And, you'll soon find out that kung fu isn't just about fighting. Kung fu means 'betterment of oneself'. If you want to leave, that's fine. No one is forcing you to stay. But if you decide to continue, I think you'll discover even more than you thought you would ever gain."

"Master Panda! It's an honor to be in your presence" said Rat, surprised by Po's arrival.

"I hope I'm not intruding" Po said as he entered the room.

"No, not at all. I always have time for the Dragon Warrior."

"And the Dragon Warrior always has time for his students. You did very well out there today. I saw a lot of influence from both Mantis' and Monkey's training."

"I'm glad you noticed! Mantis taught me a lot about offensive attacks, getting up close and personal with the enemy. Monkey taught me lots of acrobatic skills. I've even learned to use my tail as a weapon, just like him."

"You remind me a lot of both of them."


	4. Chapter 4

"Yeah, Master Monkey has taught me many great things. But I really miss my sessions with Mantis. He really helped me overcome my anxiety and taught me the things that helped me when he first began. You see, the first problem I had to face was confronting my size. I didn't think I was big enough to face great foes, but Mantis proved me dead wrong!"

"Yeah, I remember Mantis taking down bigger foes than even I could! He once took down an entire mob of rampaging buffalo marauders all by himself."

"With his help, it didn't take long for me to overcome that. But then, I ran into a different problem. One day, he took me on a mission to save a bee colony from a murderous hornet. He sent me on the mission alone, as he stood in the distance to watch. After I took the hornet down, I went to see how the bees were doing. They were terrified, not of the hornet, but of me. They expected me to kill them next! It wasn't until Master Mantis vouched for me when they calmed down. Do you know why they were so scared?"

"Why?"

"Because they thought I fought the hornet, not because he was a murderer, but because he was an insect. They still had the mentality back when insects were treated as second class citizens. Before then, I was naive about all the hate in the world, hating another because he wasn't the same species as you. Then it hit me, I've experienced the same thing! Nobody likes rats. They all think we're nothing but thieves. After that, I had a major loss in self-confidence. When Mantis passed away, it put me down even more. But Master Monkey helped me gain it back. He told me when he first started, Oogway taught him the importance of compassion. Using that in his life really helped him get through some hard times. His teachings really helped me as well."

"That's really good to hear. Mantis and Monkey were really good friends of mine, and they helped me through some hard times as well. I'm surprised you opened up like this, though. You didn't have to."

"But I wanted to, and I'm glad I did. When Monkey told me I would be considered to join the new Furious Five, I didn't know whether to smile or cry. I still go through some self-conscious feelings, but I hope with you I can finally show everyone exactly what I can be."

Tigress knocked on Tanuki's door, but no response was heard. She opened the door to his room slightly and peeked inside. She saw Tanuki, sitting absolutely still, sitting cross-legged on the floor. His breathing was light, but consistent. He was in the middle of meditation. Deciding not to bother him, Tigress began to leave from the entrance.

"Please, come in" Tanuki said as Tigress walked back from his room. "You're not interrupting me. I'm just trying to relax."

Tigress reentered the room, and decided to it next to Tanuki on the floor. Tanuki had orange brown fur, with a bushy, ringed tail and a dark mask like covering over his eyes. In fact, in several ways, he looked very similar to Shifu.

"Viper says you are adjusting well here" Tigress began.

"It took a little bit, but after a while I got used to the change."

Tanuki originally lived in Japan before he moved to China to train with Viper. There, he was under the training of Yojiro, Master Prawn. He was trained in the way of the samurai. After he mastered that training, Tanuki seeked more knowledge. Yujiro suggested training with a member of the Furious Five, whom he had worked with in the past. Tanuki decided to travel to China, and met up with Master Viper after some time of searching.

"The biggest obstacle was the change in ideals" Tanuki continued. "Kung fu and bushido are very different from each other. As a samurai, I was always girded with a weapon. I was most skilled with a pair of katanas. But now, I must learn to protect myself with only myself as a weapon. I was able to pick up bushido surprisingly fast, but kung fu has proven quite the challenge. But, that's good. That is exactly why I came here."

"So, what is your ultimate goal then?"

"Well, at first I wanted to learn as many battle styles as I possibly could. After training with Viper, I was planning to meet up with a badger in Korea to learn taekwondo. But then Master Viper presented me with this opportunity. After a lot of consideration, I figured that continuing my training here would be the most beneficial. I l gained valuable knowledge with my time with Master Prawn, but I've seemed to have learned more about myself with Master Viper than anywhere else. I know staying here for the long run will be the best course of action."

"That is very good to here."

"So, Master Viper tells me you were a fierce warrior back in the day. The best of your time."

"Back in the day? Does she want me to demonstrate my skills for her now?"

"You know what she meant. What about Master Panda? I hear he's a great warrior, but that he didn't exactly start out that way."

"He needed help at first, but he eventually grew into an honorable master, probably the best master we've had since Oogway. I think you'll learn a lot from him."

"That's a relief. I've heard tale that the Dragon Warrior is a joke. But if a master like you vouch for him then I trust him."

Tigress was caught a bit off guard by that last statement. She wanted to say something about it, but bit her tongue. She instead bid Tanuki a good night, and left.

"May I come in?" asked Peng from outside Eagle's room.

"You may enter" Eagle answered smoothly.

When Peng entered, he noticed Eagle with a blade held in his foot. He used the blade to scrape the surface of each of his talons, sharpening his claws. He seemed to take much pride in the action.

"They're impressive, aren't they?" Eagle asked. "I sharpen them at the end of every day, just in case. So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to know how you felt about today's session."


	5. Chapter 5

"How do I feel? I think it went great! I know Master Panda said we needed to work on teamwork, and I do value his input, that's a bridge I'm going to have to cross another day. I know what I did, and that was the best performance I've ever put out."

"Even in your second attempt?"

"That was a fluke. Like I said, I'll cross that bridge another day. What's important is that I know I did my best."

"So, what do you expect your experience here to be like?"

"Good, I'm sure of it. I know every day I'll get better and that's exactly what I'm striving for."

"So, you're good? You don't want to talk about anything?"

"I'm fine. I appreciate your time though."

At that, Peng got up and exited the room. Once he left, Eagle picked up his blade, and through it across the room, frustrated. He lowered his head, and began wallowing in his self-pity.

"What am I going to do?" Eagle said to himself softly. "Why am I so scared?" Eagle always faced this problem. He always had fear for what was to come, but always hid it in the facade of confidence. Outside he always seemed so sure of himself, but inside he was a wreck. But pride never allowed him to open up to anyone, not even to his Master Crane. Not even to Master Leopard. And this pride always made him feel worse.

Peng exited the barracks, noticing Po and Tigress standing just outside. It was late now, with the full moon shining brilliantly in the sky. It was a warm, muggy night, with a calm stillness.

"So, how did it go?" Peng asked.

"I think I know exactly what we need to work on now" Po answered.

The next morning, Po and Tigress went back to the barracks to awaken the students. It was early dawn, with the sun not above the horizon yet. As they entered, they were surprised to see that Lioness, Eagle, and Tanuki were already up and dressed for training.

"Hmm, Tigress, Crane and Viper taught you well" Po remarked.

"Where's Wolf and Rat?" Tigress asked.

"You've gotta be kidding me" Lioness said under her breath as she barged into Wolf's room. Inside, she saw Wolf, still very much asleep on his bed.

"Wolf, WAKE UP!" she yelled as she shook his shoulder. Wolf finally started to awaken, completely surprised by Lioness' wake up call.

"What time is it?" Wolf asked, noticing that the sun still wasn't out.

"It's time to begin training" Lioness answered aggressively. "Now wake up, you still need to get dressed."

Meanwhile, Tanuki entered Rat's room, and also found him in a very deep sleep. Tanuki was surprised by his snoring, how could such a small creature make such as noise?

"Wake up!" he commanded. "Have you no discipline?"

Surprised, Rat shot out of bed screaming and attacked Tanuki. Rat hit him with such force that it knocked Tanuki to the floor. It was only after that when Rat realized the situation.

"What?! What do you want?!" Rat asked, still very much in shock.

"Not that" Tanuki answered as he got back up. "Now come, training begins now."

"Now?! What about breakfast?"

"First training, then breakfast" Tigress responded. "And after that, more training."

"Didn't your masters teach you the importance of punctuality?" Po asked.

"Well, Master Leopard never woke me up this early" Wolf responded, still trying to gain his focus.

"Yeah, me and Monkey always trained on our own time" replied Rat.

"If memory serves right, you almost never woke up on time when you first started" Tigress remarked to Po.

"You got that right" Po replied. "But still, I might need to have a bit of a talk with Monkey and Peng when we see them. Now follow us. The courtyard awaits."

After some walking, the group finally made it to the courtyard, where Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Peng greeted them.

"Monkey, Peng! I would like a word with you" Po said as he entered the courtyard.

"Po, da, I mean Master Panda" Peng began. "I told you to call me Master Leopard when in front of the students."

"Oh, come on, Peng, how many times have you addressed me as Po? Well, anyway, I came to talk to you about the training you two have done with Wolf and Rat. They slept in this morning, would you know anything about that?"

Peng and Monkey both had guilty expressions on their faces.

"Well, getting up was the hardest thing for me to do" Peng admitted. "I didn't really want to put my students through that."

"Yeah, same here" Monkey admitted. "If it wasn't for Shifu's training, I would probably sleep till noon. You can't tell me you were any different"

"So, your reputation precedes you" Tanuki said quietly.

"What was that?" asked Po.

"Oh, nothing" Tanuki replied back.


End file.
